Pokemon Combat College - An Exchange of Vows
by JPG816
Summary: Pokemon Combat College is a setting about a battle-based college (duh) with anthromorphic Pokemon students in a world where there are no humans - the world simply evolved that way. This particular piece revolves around an OC of mine as well as a friend's. Please enjoy and comment!
1. 1: A Futile Promise

Chapter 1 - Futile Promise

At the Pokemon Combat College, battle finals were usually targeted at a specific area, prioritizing crippling weak points that could potentially be remedied, as opposed to simply improving upon their already formidable strengths.

Inari, the Flareon firebrand whispered with a mortified croak, "Teamwork? But I'm an indy fighter." Her green eyes looked up and stared at the Cofagrigus Professor who had administered the evaluation. Even the ends of her individual strands of vibrant orange-blonde hair drooped, trying to wriggle their way into her red hoodie.

"Yes. This is true. However, this refusal to work together with others is interfering in many of your other fields." The Egyptian Sarcophagus, Cofagrigus shook his ornate head, as he started reading over a list.

"In Combat Applications, you've been reported to refuse to participate in group activities."

"I enrolled to fight, not to play dodge-ball," she mumbled.

"That was your defense in the report too. And in English Composition, your assigned group for the research paper reported you never showed up for meetings and "did not help at all on the paper." And yet, you managed to turn in a research paper - completely different from the one the group turned in, but within the boundaries of what we required other than anything involving other members of the group - and received a C as a result of your insistence to work independently for a paper that was intended for a group."

"Stayed up for two days doing that one," she grumbled, gritting her teeth to prevent fiery ire from escaping her lips. "Because the computer wouldn't cooperate."

"And you showed a distinct lack of cooperation with the computer when you inadvertently set the keyboard on fire. You also did the dissection group experiment in Biology by yourself - and that was a mess, wasn't it?"

"I got a little annoyed with the precision cuts."

"And proceeded to inadvertently ignite the embalming fluid on that poor feral Espurr corpse. And the list goes on. Ms. Hachiko, you are causing yourself unnecessary trouble by refusing assistance in any of these areas, and risk jeopardizing your peers. I will formally request one of our Combat Applications Professors to test your aptitude for teamwork."

Inari's glare tensed up. But in the end, she clamped down on her tongue hard enough to keep quiet.

"We know you're a capable student, Ms. Hachiko. However, you're not using your gifts efficiently. I must make this mandatory for your own progress and benefit."

With the sun slowly fading into the night sky, Inari looked out her dorm's window as she continued to ponder the problem. She had received the Pre-Final Student Conference Report a week and a half ago. With her battle final coming up in two days, she had to make the decision tonight as to who would be her partner for the teamwork exam against an unknown opponent.

"Do you have any close friends? Maybe you could ask for them to be involved to make life easier?"

She pondered on the solution suggested by Melanie Altaic, one of her classmates. That was only her option, but …

She didn't want to embarrass the proud Luxray. Besides, she had already scoffed at the idea. "Taking an exam for the fun of it? Go to hell," she said.

All her 'friends' were more mentors than friends. They couldn't help her - they had graduated a while back. And she didn't want to rely on just anybody. As desperate as she was, she still hung on to some small trace of pride.

There was only one person who was eligible for this endeavor. A tender soul she would never wish this upon if Inari had half-a-spine, if Inari could only be stronger.

The Flareon sat in the little cafe, staring awkwardly at her twiddling thumbs as the forest fairy sat across from her, sipping her coffee, naive of Inari's motives. She could feel her red-furred ears wilt from that sweet smile. Everytime she saw it, it disarmed her, like a pixie ripped from the pages of a Mother Goose tale had prodded her with a magic fairy godmother wand.

"I'm usually the one having to twist your arm to get you away from training, Inari. What's with the sudden change?"

How could she ask this from Galiana? How could she thrust her into the dangers of professional battling for such selfish reasons? These questions gave Inari pause, as she stared blankly at the Celebi.

"Is there something wrong?" The sweet smile dissipated, and transformed into a more hideous sight for the Flareon - a concerned frown and a comforting hand on her shoulder. It was like she had been claw-stabbed in the gut, before having it wrench her insides as it was pulled out the side.

"You're the only I would trust with this." Inari hesitated, and took a deep breath. "I need a partner for a teamwork exam." The awkward silence was so deafening, the proverbial pin drop would've been drowned out as well. "I'm sorry to ask you. I won't force you to say yes." Inari bit her tongue, not wanting to plead her case either way for fear of shoving her foot in her mouth.

Galiana stared equally blankly at Inari and opened her mouth. At first, nothing came out. The hesitation seemed endless, with raucous thoughts raging in Inari's heads as to what the forest fairy was thinking. Inari broke the silence, reaching out for her delicate hand, and taking it into Inari's own calloused, burned ones.

"I'll protect you. I promise."


	2. 2: Torch-Bearer

Chapter 2: Torch-Bearer

The arena audience seats were packed full of mon who wanted to support their friends in their exams for the day. For most mon, this would be a blessing.

For Inari, it was the very image of fear itself.

"It'll be okay." Galiana offered the strongest smile she could manage.

"Thanks." Inari had to question herself. How could Galiana be so confident when she was freaking out? She was supposed to be protecting her!

"Would Inari and her partner please enter the arena?" The PA system for the locker rooms echoed over them.

"Ready?" Galiana offered that strong smile once more. Inari hesitated briefly, before nodding her affirmation. "Ready."

They marched out to the stadium battlefield, and across from them were a set of Sophomore students. The horned skeletal dog from hell, Houndoom, and the behemoth, tusked, pig-nosed beast, Mamoswine. Inari's eyes went wide with fear.

Not only was she fighting to showcase teamwork - a skill she sorely lacked in - but Galiana had weaknesses to the obvious elements presented. Furthermore, she was also fighting against a mon that was probably immune to her fire. She looked at the Houndoom, and grimaced.

That Houndoom reminded her of Alex. One of her mentors. A rough and tough Houndoom who seemed to have gained his street-smarts from the blood-splattered bone-and-marrow-paved roads of hell itself.

"… for him. I'll do it for him." She paused. It wasn't just Alex. It was everyone who had pushed her this far. Galiana glanced at Inari with that same gut-wrenching look of concern. Inari shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Old mentor."

The female Houndoom with four neon pink dreadlock tails dangling from her mostly shaved head, adjusted her leather jacket over her torn tank-top with her exposed midriff, an emblem of a flaming Marowak skull on the back.

"You bad, hot stuff, but you ain't bangin' enough to brawl with Roxxi and Erik!"

Her Mamoswine partner, a burly oaf in a simple red muscle-tee who looked like he could take on a Mac truck and win without a scratch, crossed his arms as he gazed down at the two. His beard, fitting for a Viking seemed to hang ominously from around his mouth, the dreads in it swaying as he spoke slowly but surely.

"A mismatch if I've ever seen one," he said, with all the bluntness of a sledge to the face.

Inari just shook her head and composed herself. "Isn't it?"

"Oho! The little fire fox has a little spicy tongue! Yeow!" The punk Houndoom roared with raucous laughter, and grinned devilishly with her fangs bared. "I eat spicy bitches like you for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You don't even look hot enough to give me indigestion." She proceeded to spit at Inari, who took it on the cheek.

"Not worth it," she muttered to herself, radiating with enough anger and heat to evaporate the spit right off of herself. "Not right now." She then looked to her side at Galiana, and frowned at her case of knocking knees.

"S-scary," Galiana whispered. "You'll be alright?"

She shook her head, ignoring the question. "I'll protect you," she whispered, the words pushed through an iron wall of a concealing smile. "When the match starts, stay back and make sure you don't get hit."

"Wh-what? But I'm your partner!" Galiana clutched Inari's shoulder.

"I got this. Don't worry," Inari forced through clenched teeth, yanking her shoulder away.

Before Galiana could argue, the refereeing Girafarig walked between the two teams, looking to all four competitors for confirmation, with a shakey nod from Galiana for the final confirmation. Inari started firing up her Flame Charge, readying to rocket from the starting point, leaning forward like a sprinter, taking a deep breath.

She couldn't use her Toxic Orb right off the bat - no, she would wait for when the real threat had to be dealt with. Asking Galiana to heal the damage she took from it would be too much to ask, especially since the poison would worsen in intensity as she kept straining herself. She had to do this right.

She had to take down two tough-as-nails mon…

"3!"

By her inexperienced self…

"2!"

With a partner that had weaknesses to both of her opponents.

"1!"

Do or die trying.

"Fight!"

At that sound, Inari engaged her afterburners, and blasted from the starting point, taking a quick glance to check that Galiana was following her instructions. An expression of pained shock was written all over her face - didn't need to be psychic to read it.

Clenching her teeth, Inari surveyed the battlefield. The punk Houndoom had slipped out of view at some point. But she couldn't ignore the other danger - the massive Mamoswine, who was preparing to stomp the ground.

Engaging full power with Flame Charge, Inari rocketed and closed in fast on the Mamoswine - couldn't let him get off what she assumed to be a Ground-type move - something that would really mess her day up.

"Peekaboo, hot stuff!"

Inari glanced around in alarm as she heard the jeering voice, but it was too late. She felt dark-type energy clamp on her extremities like electrified barbed wire.

"Not yet!" More afterburner output, more - and yet, the more she struggled, the worse it got. The pain seared through her nerve endings and caused her to crash face first into the ground as she lost focus, skidding on her face before coming to a full stop inches from the Mamoswine.

"Looks like the bad ol' bitch got her Punishment." She grins devilishly, as she smothers the Flareon's face with her steel-and-spike-toed boot.

Of course. Punishment tended to make certain attacks backfire. In this case, it had made her flame output from Flame Charge backfire on her, as if the raw force from her afterburners had fried her hands and feet.

"Now, Erik!"

The Mamoswine bellowed in response, and channeled an Earthquake-inducing stomp right on Inari's spine.

"HRGH!" Her body wanted to cry out louder, biting her tongue with tears in her eyes.

"Sick, Erik! She ain't bangin' no more! She can't dig it right now, so let's dig it into her!" A stomp from the Houndoom's boot on her skull elicited a muffled groan from the nearly limp Flareon.

"Let's move on to the pixie and clip her wings."

Inari's eyes shot wide open, and she spat two words in defiance.

"Fuck. You!"


	3. 3: Done

Chapter 3 - Done

With her defiant bellow, Inari grasped her trump card without a second thought - the Toxic Orb in her pocket. The slight spiky protrusions injected venom into her, pulsating through the fur of her palm and into her veins, causing her whole body to scream with pain as her mouth clamped down on her tongue. Using her innate Guts trait, her whole body seemed to flare up as a reaction against the toxicity in her body, overcompensating for the adversity.

"Every drop of this pain," she whispered to herself, as if a mantra to keep in mind. "Is one Galiana doesn't have to bear." The battered - but far from beaten - Flareon slowly pushed herself up, defying the weight of the Mamoswine and the Houndoom on her.

She grabbed the Houndoom's planted foot and yanked it out from under her. Flowing with one swift motion, she then turned against the Mamoswine's weight and pointed her palm at him as he hopped back from the sudden burst of strength.

"Burn in hell!" she roared, unleashing a point blank Flame Charge jet at him, engulfing his pig-nosed face with a torrent of fire.

Between his shrieks as he clutched his face, she made out one pleasing phrase from the Viking Mamoswine. "You witch!"

Not content with the damage, Inari smashed him across the pig nose with a flaming right hook, causing him to lurch back and clutch the further-flattened sign of swineness in agony. Ascending with her afterburners, she followed up with a swift dive bomb to finish off the Mamoswine.

"You bad, girl! Gotta appreciate that! But you ain't bad enough!"

The disembodied words were soon accompanied by a collision with a black fist from the Houndoom's Sucker Punch right into her skull, sending her crashing back into the hard stadium battleground. As if to add more injury to injury, Roxxi slammed into her stomach with both boots, causing a restrained gasp of pain from Inari, still determined to not give them the satisfaction of a scream.

Was she too weak? Was there no way? She could've done something different. Something. She didn't know. How was she supposed to win this? Was it futile? Did her training amount to nothing in the end?

The Houndoom clapped her hands in jeering, mocking applause, turning over her handiwork with a nudge of her boot, before she pinned Inari's face against the floor, leaning over with a devilish toothy grin, before giving her another stomp for good measure - not like Inari could fully register it anyway. "Face down, ass up. You done, hot stuff! Well-done! Erik, finish this firefoxy bimbette off!"

As she heard the Mamoswine march up on her already thoroughly thrashed body, she could only whimper. The Toxic only cemented her muscles to the ground.

Wounds would heal, pride could be mended. But her stay in this college?

Her older brother had helped her get into higher education.

He had slaved over paperwork, textbook, and even Inari herself to ensure a happy future for the both of them.

And here, all of his efforts to get her in and to help her stay were about to be crushed with one more shot.

The Houndoom was right. She was done.

"Brother. Galiana. I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so. So. Sorry."


	4. 4: Remember Life

Chapter 4: Remember Life

A voice cried out, pierced through the air - a single defiant word to remind her of something she had almost forgotten.

"No!"

The cry was followed by a yell of surprise, and then a thundering crash. Inari opened a tired eye.

Erik was on his face, and Galiana stood behind the Mamoswine, covered in translucent emerald-like crystals, mostly on her joints, torso, and head. A Grass Knot whip covered in Spikes lay around the hulking ice pig's ankle.

The Houndoom just stared incredulously as her victory was delayed not once, but twice now, her brow twitching. "Well." She grumbled, before glaring at the interrupting forest fairy. "At least this saves me the trouble of finding you, Tinkerbell." She snorts a puff of flame. "Did you have second thoughts about hiding behind your partner?" Galiana simply held out a psychic crystal on the back of her hand, expanding a small buckler defiantly.

"Beside you." A disembodied voice. Galiana's voice. It was faint - perhaps due to the strain the armor put on her psychic abilities. But even in Inari's own struggle to stay awake, it was definitely Galiana. She peered off to her right. A seed.

No time to ponder when what happened. She reached out for the seed, and clutched it tightly in her palm. Galiana's reverse leech seed - she was sharing some of her energy with Inari. More than that, Galiana was tanking the hits for her. Inari watched as Erik made his way slowly back to his feet, and Roxxi just growled - obviously not taking this interruption lightly.

Erik's massive tusks glowed with a slight blue tint before encasing themselves in ice. Icicle Crash. Roxxi flipped the bird at Galiana and proceeded to light the tip with a sizeable fireball - an Inferno fireball easily the size of Galiana's head.

Inari had one shot. She had to be fast, or Galiana would be hurt. That would be worse than any beating they could give her.

She pushed herself up shakily. The seed hadn't worked its full magic and given up everything it had - but it was enough. She pocketed the Toxic Orb, and clutched the seed. They hadn't noticed Inari's recovery yet.

She rocketed forward, and encased her massive normally pillowy tail with a solid sheet of metal, and smashed Roxxi across her upper face with an outcry as she swung her Iron Tail. A tooth-sized chip of her Houndoom horn flew from the impact.

Inari continued her deft and agile spin, knocking a solid fist-sized chunk off the tip of Erik's Mamoswine's tusk, ice and all.

Not wanting to let Roxxi get a chance to step in to cover for Erik again, Inari engulfed both fists in flames so intense, that Galiana herself took a step back. She saw Inari's practice sessions often enough to know what was coming.

Both feet rockets ignited full blast, causing Inari to tear through the air and pummel Erik. Left, right, left, right, left, right, straight, hook, cross, straight, hook, cross, her fiery fists pummeling the Mamoswine in meticulously-practiced formation.

Suddenly, Roxxi growled with bared fangs as she leapt to guard her partner, reaching to absorb the fire from Inari's fists!

"Trust in me." Galiana's telepathy reassured her again. As if on cue, the roar was promptly cut short. Galiana had wrapped her whip around her upper chest, cutting off her air supply and slamming her into the ground back first with surprising strength for the petite forest fairy.

Inari smirked, and readied the coup de grace for the reeling ice mammoth pig. She rocketed forth and nailed the Mamoswine between the eyes with an all-out explosive haymaker. The back of his skull slammed against the ground, and he laid sprawled and out cold upon impact with the hard arena floor.

Inari landed in a skidding crouch in front of the fallen icy behemoth shortly thereafter, panting heavily. Despite her weariness, she looked over her shoulder with a fiery gaze.

Having broken free, about to square off with Galiana when the behemoth came crashing down, Roxxi growled lowly. "You haven't won yet, and you look like you're on your last legs, hot stuff." Her grimace curled into a smirk, as her rage gave way to sadistic confidence. "Me? I'm just getting warmed up." The stones binding each pigtail sparkled.

Before Inari could get a closer look, a scintillating prism of light engulfed the arena, overwhelming her senses with overwhelming power - the sort that choked the very air with its nigh-suffocating levels.

When the light subsided. Roxxi was donning a bone breastplate that seemed to be a modified skull of a much larger creature, and her horns added another head to her height. Her pauldrons were made of ivory tusks. Her tail become less of a spearhead and more like its own devilish two-pronged pitchfork.

In the face of this powerful enemy, Inari took a step back, her teeth clenched in uneasiness. Who could blame her? She was up against a Mega-Houndoom.


	5. 5: No Regrets

Chapter 5: No Regrets

As an awed hush resounded from all around, most not expecting a Freshmon to bust out such tactics in an examination, the bone-clad Houndoom grinned at the Flareon and Celebi pair. "Haven't had much of a chance to bust this baby out. Gotta thank you for that later."

The Houndoom smirked. "You two are good - better than a lot of Freshmon." She looks right at Inari. "You've probably passed by now - but giving up now will just mean you're settling for second fiddle. C'mon, plant one right here." She puckers up, blowing a mocking kiss.

Inari shook her head wearily and glanced to the side to her partner, who quivered slightly, despite her valiant stand against Inari's opponents. She then looked to the judges. A single question resounded and echoed in her mind.

Should she yield for Galiana's sake? She couldn't stand and debate this. The Toxic would wear her down and then there'd certainly be no hope if she wanted to take a stand. But if she kept going, Galiana could be hurt.

"Trust me. Trust in me." The weak voice echoed - faint in its waning strength, but with more resolve than ever before. "We can win."

Inari slid into stance, a sprinting form, looking to Galiana once more. "Can you hear me too?" She thought as intensely as she could, as if trying to summon some latent ESP in her own mind.

"You sound so afraid in here." Galiana smiled just a bit to Inari. Inari couldn't help but return it.

"A little. Got enough for one of those Protect shields and a Grass Knot whip?"

"Maybe 10 seconds."

"That'll be enough. Pay attention to my thoughts. We'll end this with one shot."

Galiana frowned, but nodded, as Inari stared Roxxi down, who crossed her arms, a slightly softer smirk at the sight of the nonverbal exchange between them. "You seem insistent on seeing this through - good. Doesn't matter if you're dykes or you're comrades in arms or whatever - you're partners. Don't leave the story halfway done, hot stuff."

Inari nodded, and returned the respectful but firm smirk. "Right. I don't got all day for a lecture though."

"I trust you." The same voice from Galiana. But this time, she heard it in the air.

Inari could only nod - not daring take her eyes off her opponent. "Ready, set, go!" From the exclamation to resume the battle, Inari thrusted her arm to the side - much to Roxxi's confusion - and jetted towards Galiana, who nodded and formed a grass knot rope towards Inari.

"The fuck?" Roxxi could only stare bewilderedly at these odd tactics. With a shake of her head, she readied her assault, channeling Dark-type energies into her palms. "Okay, hot stuff, I don't know what you're planning, but I'll be playing right along!"

Meanwhile, Inari grasped the Grass Knot whip and jetted right past Galiana, who hung on for dear life.

Galiana's armor disappeared as she focused on preparing a shield. "You only get one shot!"

Inari's grip tightened on the whip, as her other three afterburners ignited on full throttle. Ascending rapidly, Inari rocketed towards the ceiling, as if to burst through it, as Roxxi jeered from below, frustrated with this turn of events. "Don't tell me you're turning tail and running, hot stuff!"

"Ready up, Galiana!" With an abrupt shift, Inari spun in mid-air and ignited her Overheat, all afterburners going full-blast, and the immediate area blazing into a fiery inferno, engulfing even Galiana as she rocketed towards the ground in one smooth motion, not missing a beat of the planned execution in her head.

"A head on attack? I'll soak up the heat - I told you, you're not hot enough for me!" Roxxi aimed her palms, and unleashed a torrent of black energy upon the two - a vicious Dark Pulse focused into a beam.

Inari simply smirked quietly, even as her vision started blurring - she didn't need to retort. She simply charged in headlong, her direction not quite aimed at Roxxi herself. Countering her own momentum with a shifted afterburner, she slammed the trailing package behind her with the hardest Iron Tail slam she could manage - Galiana wrapped up in her Protect bubble, the bubble itself holding strong with Galiana's resolve. "Go!"

Inari closed her eyes as the Dark Pulse blast enveloped her. She did her best, no regrets.


	6. 6: Reunion

Chapter 6: Reunion

With her usual gusto upon realizing consciousness, Inari sat straight up and was greeted with a shooting pain in her back.

"Son of a-," she hissed. Biting down on her lip as to not scream, she slowly laid back down.

"Some things never change."

Her brother Kamil opened a tired, but fully vigilant eye toward the Flareon, dressed in his usual button up white shirt, slightly disheveled assumingly from keeping close watch over her as per usual.

"But some things change faster than one can blink. You were awesome out there - better than I've ever seen you fight. It was amazing."

Inari's face gave way to horror. "Galiana. Where is she?"

"Your friend quite literally strained her brain - nearly had an aneurysm I'm sure - but she's okay. They've sedated her so she can recuperate her mental faculties. She was hysterically worried about you - probably wouldn't have gotten the proper rest. She's over there right now." Kamil gestured to the bed across the room, where Galiana was sleeping so peacefully that Inari could not help a relieved smile creeping across her lips. One danced across Kamil's as well, seeing his sister at ease.

"A lot of folks were also worried about you. You've had visitors around the clock for two days." Inari's cheeks turned a bit pink as Kamil chuckled once more. "Some things about you may never change - and I hope some of them stay that way. Alex came out - though he insisted I keep hush-hush about it around anyone other than you. He helped me keep vigil over you."

She smiled a while in gratitude for her watchful guardians. Upon realizing the events that transpired to cause her stay in the hospital, the smile evaporated as she pierced the tranquility with one question. "Did I pass?"

"The judges are discussing the results very thoroughly. On the difference between an A+ performance and a 'candidate for advanced placement' performance. Your maneuver allowed Galiana to pass alongside the blast in her Protect shield - completely protected from your afterburners. Ms. Roxxi probably didn't have enough time to react. I definitely would've been caught off-guard myself with such an insane maneuver." Kamil's eyes thinly veiling their dancing glee. "If you had chosen any other partner, they might have not trusted you so much - and not been in such sync. I've read Galiana's performance summary. Anyone who would've looked at just that, they would've banked against your duo. Little fighting experience, quite pacifistic, prone to fainting from fright. You tempered her into something that fought for you and herself."

"Which you should've realized before going in," a gruff and grumbling voice announced, sounding like it had smoked a box too many cigars and cigarettes. Alex, in all his intimidating horned hellhound Houndoom glory, marched straight to Inari, as Kamil backed away and silently drew exhaled a deep breath. Upon reaching her, he looked down at her with an undecipherable tension. Culminating with a sharp flick on her forehead.

"Ow!"

"There could've been much worse than that - not trusting your teammates can lead to that." He grumbled, his presence radiating experience learned through a series of daily brushes with death. "You know better than that."

Kamil sighed exasperatedly in agreement. "You're the last family I have. You treat these exams like they're do-or-die, but we're your safety net. Stop treating yourself like the mighty Groudon who built the earth himself."

However, all she could do was smile softly, somewhat apologetic, but entirely grateful for his concern.

"Thanks," she uttered. "I couldn't have done it without all of you cheering me along all the way. And definitely not without Galiana."

As if on cue, an ear-piercing series of drawn out beeps came from the screens monitoring Galiana's vitals - dropping brain activity and heart rate.


	7. 7: Smiles and Tears

Chapter 7: Smiles and Tears

"Just spoke with the doctor. The strain has sent her into a state of shock - her body is having trouble coping with the damage it endured." Kamil took a deep breath and gave a knowing glance at Alex. "What are your thoughts?"

"Can't say this is gonna be easy for her to hear." Even the horned hellhound's cigarette was intensely aflame at the tip - as if trying to vent the tension with his smoke. "You do realize she'll know exactly how it happened, right?"

Inari withdrew her head back into the room as quietly as she could. How could she have been so selfish? She had driven the square peg into the circle hole and broken the jigsaw. Her world was falling apart as she gazed at the wilting guardian.

Even as she wilted, the forest fae folk was beautiful.

Inari shook her head vigorously, still in her own hospital gown. It couldn't end like this. It musn't.

She set her left hand on Galiana's chest. With her other, she touched Galiana's forehead, and rubbed gently between the antennae with her thumb

"Wish. I wish. I wish I-"

Hadn't been born? Hadn't brought pain upon this innocent soul? How could she undo the smothering of this life?

"Inari." The disembodied voice. It was faint. She looked closer at the Celebi.

Nothing else. She wished for her friend back. Even if it cost her everything.

After all, Galiana had done the same.

She brought down her other hand down to Galiana's chest. "You're the healer - the one more useful to the world. I will give my life for you. You hear me?"

From her hands, there was a gentle crimson glow, emanating a gentle heat.

"I wish for everything you've given me to be returned to you two, ten, a hundred-fold. I wish for you to have everything in the world, even if I have to wither away for it."

Wish. It would transfers her heartfelt desires as a healing pulse. And there were none such heartfelt as her desire for Galiana to live.

She had just reunited with her mentors, achieved things she had never dreamed possible for herself.

And she would sacrifice it all for her. She would do her best. No regrets.

The glow in her hand intensified, as Inari felt her own warmth leaving her already weak body.

"Silly." The voice returned in her head - stronger.

"Who is silly?" Inari growled feeling her own grasp on consciousness slipping.

"You. Sacrificing yourself wouldn't make me happy. And it wouldn't fix anything."

"Then come back. Or I'll-"

The voice giggled weakly, as if on its dying breath. No, it was a breath as if she were rising above water after nearly drowning. "Or you'll what?"

Inari sniffled and screamed. "Or I'll beat you until you come back! I'll punch you in the face until you come back! Come back and bake me that goddamned stupid cake. Let me feel your touch on my shoulder again. Let me feel your arms around me. One more time. Please!"

Suddenly, she was thrown onto the floor, landing on her rump. She then felt a sharp pain across her cheek.

"Idiot!"

"It's okay. She's okay. I made sure of it," a quiet, frail voice chimed in.

Inari opened her eyes slowly, wincing still at the aching sensation throughout her body - as if she had run across the nation of Kanto. Back and forth. Across the water too.

Galiana's eyes sleepily opened. She smiled faintly. "Thanks, Inari."

Inari started to return the grin. So tired. She was so tired. Suddenly, a dull thud in her shoulder from Alex's fist. "Ow, the fuck, Alex!?"

"If you're healthy enough to heal her, you're healthy enough to take a whupping from me!"

Inari growled. A tense exchange of glares. And then laughter. She could breathe.

The world had never been so lovely. And it was all due to the smiles and tears.


	8. Epilogue: A Chance and a Hope

10 years later:

"Congratulations on your latest defense of the Kanto Region Title, Inari "Fireworks" Hachiko!"

"Mnf." The Firefluff grumbled, holding back her desire to smack the portly paparazzi who hounded her while shoving that phallic mike in her face in the name of journalism.

"What is your training regimen like?" "What inspiring words do you have for your fans?" "Do you have any choice words for your next opponent?"

The same old babble that they always asked. They'd hit the trigger sooner or later. Maybe if she ignored them, they would go away.

"What is your response to allegations that you are not a good role model because of your civil union with Galiana Hertz?"

Full stop. They hit it. And she was going to hit them like an eighteen-wheeler moving at 100 miles per hour. On fire.

"Pardon, ladies and gents," spoke her calm and bespectacled Absol manager, his gaze from beneath the glasses also unamused, yet still calm. "Ms. Hachiko." He grinned at her, as his voice dripped with sarcasm while uttering the exaggerated formal label for his sister. "Your wife and kids are waiting for you, right? I'll handle things here."

Inari exhaled the tension in the air in a slow breath. "Thanks, Kamil. Appreciate it."

Kamil had already turned back with his unamused glower at the paparazzi, as Inari ran outside to the parking lot, keeping up her pace. Time was short. She crouched briefly before springing into the air and igniting her Flame Charge afterburners.

A familiar frazzled forest fairy was leaning against the brick walls of Oaks Elementary, sipping her tea. Inari decided to pierce the tranquility in the bombastic fashion that she only let four people see on a daily basis.

"Whassup, doc?" She grinned cheekily, and before Galiana could react, planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh you. You're 5 minutes late for Meet the Parents Day!" Galiana pressed her lips together, fists tightening slightly.

Inari grinned sheepishly, and averted her gaze. "Sorry. Got here as fast as I could, Gali."

"That's Doctor Galiana to you, missy, with a double Ph.D!" Galiana said, as she jabbed Inari in the chest with each major, a playful curling grin escaping from her lips, before taking Inari's arm and leading her down the hallway.

"How's the search going? Just give the word." Inari offered that same warm smile for her lovely forest fairy

"The Passage of Time is as elusive as ever. But I know you'll be there. Even if you're five minutes late." Galiana smiled teasingly, brushing at Inari's recently added cut just above her eyebrow. "It was those post-match reporters again? Always snooping about on us." She took a deep breath. "The kids are suffering it too."

Inari paused. "Yeah, I heard from Chance. Little guy's been in trouble for fighting bullies again. Watching out for his little sister." Inari stopped her stroll down the hallway, her gaze distancing itself from reality.

"You showed him that fire. You know that. You should feel proud." Galiana pleasantly giggled. "Even if he does get a little rough when little Hope is involved."

"Hope. She reminds me of you. Somebody worth laying down my life for."

Galiana pinched Inari's cheek to interrupt her little daydreaming grin. "May I remind you how many times I've done the same for you?"

"Ow, not in public!" Inari whined, turning pink in embarrassment, her whole face scrunching up in bashfulness.

Just then, they heard the usual scenario. "So where's your mamas, cuntboy?" The jeering plurality of a normally sweet word caught both of their ears, and they quietly peered around the corner to see two mon cornering a young pre-adolescent Absol. He adjusted his glasses, focused on standing in front of a little pigtailed Gothita. The young Absol gave the sniffling Gothita a knowing smile, and proceeded to turn an eerily calm glare at his peers.

A deep-seated rage started welling up in Inari, but a calm hand pulled her back. Inari glanced back at Galiana, who only shook her head.

"My mothers are coming. I have that much faith. I have nothing to prove to you. Unlike you gutter trash." The Absol, sharply dressed in his faded pink button up shirt and tie for Parents' Day, simply eyed them, as if to urge them on. "Haven't you heard? Real men wear pink."

"Let's see how 'real' you are when we tear your junk off!" At that point, Galiana let go of the boiling Flareon's arm and nodded.

"At least my little man has something for you to sissy-slap at, shit stains."

Inari took this moment to make her boot step heard through the hallway, along with Galiana's dainty but equally deafening graceful steps. "That was a lot less graceful than I had hoped." Galiana rubbed her forehead with a minor headache at Inari's brash entrance.

Chance, her adopted Absol son, could only smile in pride. He stepped aside for the little Gothita, and Hope ran to her mothers' arms, Galiana picking up and hugging the little seven year old.

"Mama Gali! Mama Inari! I knew you were coming!"

Inari glowered at the two would-be thugs. "You're lucky I stepped in. Yeah, I'm talking to you two. I don't want to have to scrape your giblets off the wall. Now beat it." The two mon exchanged each other a wary glance and obliged cautiously, backing off slowly before it was safe enough to turn tail and run.

Chance kept smiling. "Thank Hope. She let me know you were coming. Hope kept me alive." Inari opened her arms, scooping up Chance in her embrace in a warm bear hug. The Absol let out a strangled laugh. "Ow, mother, you're embarrassing me!"

"Hope kept me alive too."


End file.
